Google introduces spam policy for back button hijacking

My notes

Summary

Google is making “back button hijacking” an explicit violation of its malicious practices spam policy, with enforcement starting 15 June 2026. Sites that manipulate browser history to prevent users from returning to the referrer can face manual actions or automated demotions in Search. The issue often comes from third-party ad scripts or libraries, not just custom site code.

Key Insight

• Enforcement date: 15 June 2026 (about two months after the 13 April announcement). This is a rare explicit pre-announcement, Google usually rolls out spam policy updates without a grace window.
• The policy targets a specific behaviour: scripts that push junk entries into browser history so the back button loops the user through ads/recommendations instead of returning to the SERP.
• Penalty pathway is both manual (human reviewer) and algorithmic (automated demotion). Recovery via reconsideration request in Search Console.
• Google explicitly calls out ad platforms and imported libraries as a common source. This means publishers running programmatic ads can get penalised for third-party code they didn’t write.
• Framed under the existing “malicious practices” policy clause, not a new category. The novelty is making the specific tactic named and enforceable.
• Signals Google is tightening on UX-breaking monetisation patterns post-HCU era; likely a prelude to more navigation/session-integrity signals.